Issue with file.managed and salt:// Source on Fedora 41 Minimal and Debian 13 Minimal

User Support
1

I’ve consistently encountered a bug when using file.managed with a source: salt://... definition on fedora-41-minimal. The operation fails with an error stating that the source file does not exist.

Initially, I assumed this was due to a compatibility issue—perhaps a Python update that broke support for this SaltStack version, which I’ve heard isn’t uncommon. As a workaround, I used the contents keyword with file.managed, which worked fine.

However, I recently tried debian-13-minimal and ran into the exact same issue—SaltStack cannot locate the salt:// file.
debian-12-minimal works perfectly.

Could anyone confirm/deny that they have the same problem as me?

2

What template are you using for default-mgmt-dvm?

I never presume to speak for the Qubes team.
When I comment in the Forum I speak for myself.

3

Please excuse my late reply.

My default-mgmt-dvm template is based on debian-12-minimal, which I further minimized using this guide.
In the default-mgmt-dvm I installed qubes-core-agent-passwordless-root and qubes-mgmt-salt-vm-connector.

4

In the default-mgmt-dvm I installed qubes-core-agent-passwordless-root and qubes-mgmt-salt-vm-connector.

You need to install software in the template, used by the DVM, not in the DVM itself.

5

My wording was wrong in my last message; i installed qubes-core-agent-passwordless-root and qubes-mgmt-salt-vm-connector in the default-mgmt-dvm-template :slight_smile:

6

Maybe this:

1 Like
7

Indeed, I just thought there might be some wording confusion indeed because:

disposable template = AppVM
template = TemplateVM (install software here)

Hence my comment.

If the reason for your problem is not that confusion, then I don’t know what it is.

1 Like
8

There’s a known bug in the version of salt used in the Debian templates,
which makes them unsuitable for use as default-mgmt-dvm.
Change this to a Fedora based qube.

I never presume to speak for the Qubes team.
When I comment in the Forum I speak for myself.

1 Like
9

Thanks, this was indeed issue

10

There’s a known bug in the version of salt used in the Debian templates,
which makes them unsuitable for use as default-mgmt-dvm.
Change this to a Fedora based qube.

Could you please link to that bug report?

My default-mgmt-dvm is based on debian-12-xfce and it has been like that for a long time without (noticeable) issues.

11

The solution of this post explains the bug and has a link to the saltstack github issue that was created for it back then.

Nevertheless:
Qubes issue:

Saltstack issue:

The bug only occurs in fedora/debian-13 based templates. Are you using only debian-12 templates?

12

@andreasglashauser

Thanks.

Are you using only debian-12 templates?

Yes.